A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| Colchester | |
|---|---|
| Borough constituency for the House of Commons | |
 Boundaries since 2024 | |
 Boundary of Colchester in the East of England | |
| County | Essex |
| Electorate | 73,638 (December 2010)[1] |
| Major settlements | Colchester, The Hythe |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 1997 |
| Member of Parliament | TBC (TBC) |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | Colchester North, South Colchester and Maldon |
| 1918–1983 | |
| Seats | One |
| Type of constituency | County constituency |
| Created from | Colchester (Parliamentary Borough), Harwich (part) |
| Replaced by | Colchester North and Colchester South & Maldon |
| 1295–1918 | |
| Seats | Two to 1885, one from 1885 to 1918 |
| Type of constituency | Borough constituency |
| Replaced by | Colchester (county constituency) |
Colchester is a constituency[n 1] in Essex represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2015 by Will Quince, a Conservative.[n 2] In June 2023 Quince announced that he would not be standing for re-election.[2]
Constituency profile
Once the basis for one or two semi-rural seats, the modern-day Colchester constituency is a compact, urban core, containing the town centre and surrounding neighbourhoods.
The present Colchester constituency most closely resembles the old seat of Colchester North, which was held by the Conservative Bernard Jenkin from 1992 to 1997.
The seat has one of Britain's largest residential military populations.
History
The Parliamentary Borough of Colchester had sent two members to the Parliament of England since the Model Parliament of 1295[3] until 1707, then to the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and to the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801. In 1885, it was one of 36 English boroughs and three Irish boroughs to have its representation reduced to one under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.[4] Under the Representation of the People Act 1918, the Parliamentary Borough was abolished and replaced with a Division of the County of Essex (later a County Constituency).[5]
The revised constituency remained virtually unchanged until it was briefly abolished for the 1983 general election following the Third Periodic Review of Westminster Constituencies, but re-established for the 1997 general election as a Borough Constituency by the Fourth Review.
The non-military vote in Colchester swung further in favour of the Liberal Democrats since 1997 when Bob Russell stood. He was elected for the party with a small majority. Russell increased his votes and percentage share in three elections. In the 2010 election this was the only non-Conservative seat in Essex. Russell was defeated in the 2015 general election by Conservative Will Quince, by an 11.5% majority. In the 2017 election Quince was re-elected by a slightly decreased margin by percentage (10.6%), with Labour moving into 2nd place after a substantial increase in their vote, meaning this seat is now much more a contest between Labour and the Conservatives for the first time in many years. In the 2019 election, Quince increased his majority to 9,423 or 17.6% in percentage terms.
Boundaries and boundary changes
1918–1950
- The Borough of Colchester; and
- The Rural District of Lexden and Winstree except the detached part of the parish of Inworth which was wholly surrounded by the parishes of Great Braxted and Kelvedon.[5]
The area comprising the Rural District of Lexden and Winstree had largely been part of the Harwich Division.
1950–1983
- The Borough of Colchester;
- The Urban District of West Mersea; and
- The Rural District of Lexden and Winstree.[6]
No changes (the Urban District of West Mersea had been formed as a separate local authority in 1926).
For the 1983 general election, the constituency was abolished, with the northern parts (comprising the majority) forming the bulk of the new constituency of North Colchester. Southern areas were included in the new constituency of South Colchester and Maldon.
1997–2010
- The Borough of Colchester wards of Berechurch, Castle, Harbour, Lexden, Mile End, New Town, Prettygate, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, St Mary's, Shrub End, and Stanway.[7]
Re-established as a Borough Constituency from parts of the abolished constituencies of South Colchester and Maldon (Berechurch, Harbour, New Town, Prettygate and Shrub End wards) and North Colchester (remaining wards).
2010–2024
- The Borough of Colchester wards of Berechurch, Castle, Christ Church, Harbour, Highwoods, Lexden, Mile End, New Town, Prettygate, St Andrew's, St Anne's, St John's, and Shrub End.[8]
Local authority wards redistributed. Minor reduction in electorate, with Stanway ward being included in the new constituency of Witham.
Current
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, which came into effect for the 2024 general election, the composition of the constituency is as follows (as they existed on 1 December 2020):
- The City of Colchester wards of: Castle; Greenstead; Highwoods; Lexden & Braiswick (polling districts AQ, AS and AT); Mile End; New Town & Christ Church; Prettygate; St. Anne’s & St. John’s; Shrub End.[9]
The revised contents closely correspond to the existing constituency, with the exception of the Old Heath and The Hythe areas to the south east of the city centre, which are now included in Harwich and North Essex.
Members of Parliament
MPs 1295–1640
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